Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder
by AquaJasmine23
Summary: "It is the same paradise. The same forevermore and she will never tire of it. When he releases her, he backs away two steps and reaches into his suit jacket to pull out a dark golden velvet box. Small… as if for a ring." Spoilers for the S3 Finale.


**A/N: Initially, I imagined this for the Rumbelle wedding when Rumple proposed in "Kansas", and this is also partially how I imagined the proposal when I saw the "splashy wedding" spoiler for the Season 3 Finale. Even though I know what really happens (the wedding vows were emotional; I loved them) I wanted to write this. So here it is.**

**Keep in mind, this is my first story. I love OUAT - Rumbelle in particular, like most- and I just couldn't get this out of my head.**

**BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER**

**BY: AquaJasmine23**

* * *

She pushes open the door to his pawnshop, her eyes already glimmering with tears. She is overwhelmed with joy. The Witch has been defeated, Zelena vanquished, and she has Rumple back. Finally.

She couldn't bear it. _The year without love_, Baelfire had called it. Seeing Rumple's son dead- the son who Rumple sacrificed everything for- and knowing Rumple couldn't do anything about it, knowing Zelena had orchestrated it _all_- made everything worse. And now she remembers. Remembers going to the Dark Castle, meeting Lumiere, seeing Zelena order _her_ Rumple to _kill her_, running with Lumiere back to the safety of Regina's Winter Palace, and meeting Snow and Charming and seeing _their_ joy- it was too much to bear. They were _expecting a child_. She's always wanted that for herself and Rumple.

Witnessing the Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Phillip get transformed into the strangest servant creatures - flying monkeys, of all things!- was a bit lightening. Entertaining. Belle knows she should not have felt amused whilst seeing that, knowing the young Princess Aurora was pregnant and all, but it was someone else's distress. Not hers. For once. Maybe it was- is- selfish, but Belle can't and couldn't care. Not then.

And then Snow and Charming and Regina and the expedition back the Dark Castle. Belle shudders as the golden bell rings. It was indescribable, how she had felt when she had gone into the Great Hall and seen Rumple trapped in a cage. He had seemed on the brink of insanity, she remembers, but she'd known why.

She had been the only one able to get through to Rumple, ignoring Regina's continuous this- is- pointless commentary. And the look in his eyes had been the worst. It was madness, shattered torment and pain, and Belle could barely stand it for moments.

She'd cried, alone, when they returned to the Winter Palace, in the enormous suite of golden rooms that Regina had gifted her with. Regina, who had honestly seemed sad on her behalf, placing a hand on Belle's shoulder and saying she was sorry about Rumple. But no one could break the cage that her grief had built around her heart. Baelfire had been the only who'd understood her in the least, and he was trapped in the mind of his imprisoned father who she loved so much.

Violently, Belle pulls herself free of these torturous thoughts and focuses on walking into Rumple's store, crossing the room with all the haste of one who until now had thought their love was lost to darkness and isolation and death forever, and Rumple is there.

In the flesh, healthy, and not being controlled by 'the Wicked Bitch', as Emma Swan calls Zelena. Belle smiles at that; it is an accurate title.

Rumple backs away from his counter, striding across the large room to meet her. They collide in a desperate embrace, and her arms twine around his neck. She can feel his tears in her hair, and she doesn't care one bit.

"I knew you'd be back," she murmurs quietly, her voice filled with conviction. She doesn't want to cry, not now when she is finally smiling for real. She wants to be with him. That's it.

"Your unfailing faith," he says in response, his own speech muffled by her head, "_constantly_ astounds me." He pauses. "And after everything I did."

His words hurt her. It isn't and wasn't his fault, and she tells him as much. "That wasn't you," she protests, adamant in her belief. "It was Zelena."

Rumple's face contorts into an expression of disgust. "It wasn't always Zelena." His eyes are dark, she sees. Belle wants nothing more in than moment than to kiss the desolate expression away. To love the darkness enough to diminish it some, at least. "I will never be able to comprehend why you continue to stand by my side."

Belle laughs, but it is more like a choking cough. "I love you. I always have." It is the unconditional kind, the kind that never ends. True Love. What lasts a lifetime.

She sees her red- and- white bag on the counter, reaches for it, draws out his dagger. To her, it is beautiful, simply because it's a part of him. It's a curved silver kris blade, sharp- tipped, and his name is engraved in black. She is holding it by the hilt, but she presents it to him, name- side up. The right side.

He looks surprised. "How did you get that?" The close proximity is getting to Belle, however slightly, but she ignores it for now. They have all the time in the world now that Zelena's powers have been vanquished.

"Regina gave it to me," she says truthfully, and he looks more shocked at that. "To make amends," she clarifies. "And also because she knew I wouldn't abuse its power." This is honest. Regina did give it to her. Belle thinks that maybe Regina can be good again. For Henry… and for Robin Hood and his little boy Roland, she suspects.

Rumple is still watching her. "I want you to have it," she says quietly, and she holds it out further.

He doesn't take it right away. "Why?"

"Because I believe in you!" she answers. His eyes are bright amber, but she sees the golden hue of his newest magic swimming in the depths. "It's yours- you're a free man." And then she cannot hold the last stipulation in. "Just promise me one thing. Promise me you won't go after Zelena- you know you're better than that."

There are tears in his eyes too when he looks at her, and she's never been more convinced of his soul- deep love for her. "Oh, Belle," he sighs. "What you're giving me… is more than I can ever give you." She's about to speak and disagree- he's given her everything with his love for her- but he beats her to it. "But I will try. This…" He nods at the dagger, which is still in her hands. "This is trust. It means you trust me… with all of your heart."

"I do," she replies immediately, and unintentionally she thinks of wedding vows.

"Then I shall trust you with mine," he says. Her curiosity is burning a hole through her, and she is almost certain he can see it in her eyes. "I am now, and for all the future… yours."

He's looking at her meaningfully, and finally her brain pulls itself together and catches up with her pounding heart. "Wait… what… what are you saying?" she manages slowly. Her mind is racing. She can't help but hope for a proposal, and then she chastises herself for hoping for such. Rumple will propose when he's ready, she knows.

He smiles at her, gently, and she sees her days of future and past and present in his eyes and thinks that she can never love him more. It would be impossible. What's a sheet of paper when you have everlasting love?

"Belle," says Rumple. He takes the dagger. "I love you… but I need you to keep the dagger."

"What?" She is honestly surprised. She expected him to take it, because even if he loves her (and she knows he does) it is the one thing that can force him to do anything and everything, and he has no control over the one who wields it. He takes her right hand, his skin soft against hers, and he presses the hilt of the kris dagger bearing his name into it, curls her fingers closed around the knife.

"You are the center point that my world revolves around," he says, and there is such heartfelt truth in his voice. She smiles. "Please, Belle. For your- our- safety, please take my dagger."

She looks into his eyes and has to focus. "Rumple, I love you more than I will ever be able to understand… but I can't take the dagger. I- I can't protect it. The only reason Zelena couldn't have it stolen from her was her magic, which I have none of."

His face is inches from hers. All she can think of is waterfalls and lakes and rushing oceans and the waves that swim within. Concealed beauty. Just like her Rumple. "Belle, you mean more to me than all the magic in the world," he whispers.

And then his lips crash against hers. And Belle _forgets_ - forgets to breathe, forgets Zelena and anything that's ever tried to divide them. All she can see, think of, hear, breathe, taste, smell is her Rumple, and she wouldn't care if the world exploded to fragments of shattered rubble and broken glass around them. The Dark Castle and his odd behavior toward her those last days flashes in her mind, bright as the daylight that streamed through the stained glass windows in his castle, that day when she tore away the dark curtains and he caught her and she couldn't breathe for wanting to kiss him so deeply.

After what seems like a lifetime of everlasting paradise, he pulls away. His arms are still around her. She relishes the feel.

"Belle," he says, and she realizes that she dropped the dagger. Quickly, he summons it, balancing the weight easily on his left hand.

She looks more carefully at the dagger, and she gasps. The writing that had said his name was melting away, burning brightest gold, and then the dagger is alight before their eyes, and Rumple hisses under his breath and drops it on the counter. His name is on fire and she can see it so clearly, the dagger glassy and the hilt golden, the words seemingly of the light of the sun.

He clutches her against him, and she bites her lip and squints against the light.

And then the old Dark One dagger is gone. In its place is the glass dagger, with a hilt of gold. His name is no longer there. The dagger shines with the truth of a thousand loves and lifetimes.

"Rumple," she chokes out, "did I break your curse?"

She hopes not, honestly. She loves him however he appears, no matter what, regardless about what anyone else could ever say, and besides he needs his power. Especially since Zelena is still alive.

He tilts his head slightly and smiles at her. He looks absolutely no different, except he isn't limping. He takes her hand, exposing her palm, closes his eyes… and her- their- chipped cup appears in her hand, his own hand underneath to support it. "Not the curse," he says, and there is real happiness in his voice. "If we returned to the Enchanted Forest, I'd still look something like the Dark One. But you have erased the darkness, Belle, and shoved it all away to make room for the light that you bring to my soul." He pauses for a moment, apparently deliberating. "I believe it was possible because I admitted that you mean far more to me than magic ever could."

Tears slip from her eyes, and he embraces her. "And I can't be controlled by the dagger," he murmurs in her left ear, and she grins against his shoulder. "It is still extremely powerful-" he draws back to look at it. It is still on the counter. Still glowing. "But I cannot be controlled by it. And only I can wield it. Well…" he trails off and smiles at her. "My True Love has the ability as well."

She laughs and kisses him. It is the same paradise. The same forevermore and she will never tire of it.

When he releases her, he backs away two steps and reaches into his suit jacket to pull out a dark- golden velvet box. Small… as if for a ring.

"Belle, I do not have the capability to express in words how much I love you. I must save the small abilities of such romantic, emotional, heartfelt speech for my vows." He laughs and kneels, opening the box and showing it to her. In it… there is a beautiful ring, spun perfectly smooth, but it is her Rumple's gold and she can tell by the shimmery glow of magic. There is a single flawless cerulean sapphire. "Will you marry me?"

It is everything to her, and she forgets the cooling dagger on the counter. "Yes. _Yes_. _YES_." Gracefully, Rumplestiltskin rises up to slide the ring on her finger. It is a perfect fit, of course. All coherent thought is wiped from her capable mind as she throws her arms around him and says, tears pouring down her ivory face, "I love you, Rumple."

"I love you too, my Belle," he whispers against her lips, and then he is kissing her and her heart is whole.

* * *

Belle plans most of the wedding. _Of course_ Jefferson has to come- and _of course_ he must bring his twelve- year- old daughter Grace. _Of course_ Snow White and her Prince Charming have to come. _Of course_ Ruby (_"the Big Bad Wolf, dearie, and don't think otherwise"_) has to come. _Of course_ Emma and Henry have to come. _Of course_ Regina has to come.

Rumplestiltskin had demanded an actual reason for the last guest, and Belle had plainly told him that Regina had supported her, and had made her feel welcome at the Winter Palace, given her a spot on the War Council as they tried to figure out how to defeat Zelena, apologized without (much) prompt, and defeated Zelena.

But then Emma has a plus- one: Hook. Rumplestiltskin cannot honestly say he's happy about the traitorous pirate attending his wedding (_as Emma's date, no less!_) but he will put up with it. He knows Bae would want Emma to be happy.

And then she had gone to see her father. King Maurice had apparently forgiven him, and given his blessing, and agreed to walk Belle down the aisle. He is happy that her father is making Belle happy. Belle's happiness is all that matters.

She still refuses to let him see the wedding dress. Regardless of the customs that existed in their world, she had said that they were here now, and that was the end of it.

He conceded easily to it all, eagerly waiting for the wedding day.

It is only maybe five days after he proposes when she says that everything has been prepared. The day is light.

Snow and Red, the apparent bridesmaids, are in shimmery ice blue silk gowns, their hair piled on their heads.

Regina looks regal as ever in her violet- and- indigo satin ball gown, on the arm of Robin Hood, who is dressed in black and green. Since Robin accompanied Regina, Roland had to come. Rumplestiltskin doesn't care much about that, though. Roland is quite the cute little boy, he has to admit.

The Hatter- Jefferson- is in dark purple and black and white- Rumplestiltskin's best man, and he knows that had surprised the other guests- and Grace is in sparkly white and pink. She looks precious.

Henry wears a small tuxedo, looking older than thirteen. His life experiences have matured him, Rumplestiltskin realizes. Much like they had Bae. Emma is in a soft red velvet gown like 'Princess Leia' had in the Enchanted Forest of the past. She's on the arm of Hook, who wears the _exact_ outfit of 'Prince Charles'. At least it isn't _leather_. Hook had apologized to Belle… so she had forgiven him. Would she ever _not_ forgive someone?

Rumplestiltskin doubts she could hold a grudge against anyone.

Zelena being the exception, of course.

Maurice and Archie (_"the Cricket is presiding over the wedding of Beauty and the Beast? God, this family is so freaking dysfunctional!" _as Emma had said) were wearing simple black-and-white tuxes. Rumplestiltskin is wearing one much the same, but with a white rose on the collar.

Belle… Maurice is walking her down the aisle. Rumplestiltskin thinks she looks like an angel. Her ivory dress is lace and satin, a gold rose- pattern cut from the lace in the back, and the train is long. The sleeves are elbow length, the neckline scooping, and her beauty is truly _magnificent_. He doesn't deserve to witness such an angelic woman walk down the wedding aisle (the rhetorical wedding aisle in the sunny forest clearing of Storybrooke) but he is anyways.

She is beside him in all her glory.

Maurice releases her hand and the guests take their seats in the polished mahogany chairs Rumplestiltskin had conjured hours ago.

"It is my great honour to officiate this most lovely union," says Archie kindly, smiling at the two. "If you'd like to begin your vows."

Rumple nods at his Belle, and she starts, her eyes already swimming with joyful tears. "Rumplestiltskin," she says emotionally. "This thing we have… it's never been easy. I've- I've lost you so many times. I've lost you to darkness… to weakness… and finally, to death." Her voice shakes a bit at the last part. "But now I realize… I have not spent my life _losing_ you. I've spent my life _finding_ you." He can see all the love in the world in her eyes and on her face. He vows then, silently, to do whatever he can to deserve it.

"Belle." He can feel the eyes of the crowd. He imagines that Regina looks a little surprised, but he doesn't bother to sneak a look. "When we met… I wasn't just unloved. And unloving." The forest is quiet around them; everyone is observing in total silence. The sun streams through the leaves of the fine green trees. How beautiful his Belle looks bathed in sunlight. Jefferson stands a couple feet away, Grace at his side. "I was an enemy of love. Love had only brought me pain… and my walls were up. But you brought them down." He has to pause to look at her, to see her. She looks overwhelmed. The tears are seconds away from spilling. "You brought me _hope_, Belle- you brought light into my life and chased away the darkness." Only Regina knows how literally he means that. He doesn't care who finds out, because he retains all his magic. It just isn't dark magic anymore. Regina had been good about it- happy for them, even. "And I vow to you… I will never forget the distance between what I was… and what I am. I owe more to you than I can ever say. How you can see the man behind the monster… I will never know." There are tears in his eyes.

"But that monster is gone," she disagrees, and it is true, he knows. The dagger's spell has been relinquished. He is now and forever free. The only one controlling him will be Belle. "The man beneath him may be flawed…" oh, how true that is, he thinks. "But we all are." _Belle's voice is so beautiful_. She inhales to speak again. "And I love you for it." This is his miracle, his True Love, his Belle. "Sometimes… the best book has the dustiest jacket. And sometimes… the best teacup is chipped." They smile together, Regina and Belle's father being the only ones to actually get the last heartfelt remark.

And he lets a tear slip, and he can hear Archie pronouncing them (_stuff that isn't Belle_) and the guests are applauding (_more stuff that is not Belle_!) and fireworks go off (_thank you, Regina_) and Henry and Grace are cheering and Jefferson is whistling (_of course Jefferson is whistling_). But Rumplestiltskin only sees Belle, and can only think that she is far too beautiful to belong to any man (_or sorcerer_) and he loves her. More than imp- ly possible.

And she is crying for real, and he is kissing her, and there is nothing else that matters. Everything that has been in the back of his Cleverest Mind for days and days just vanishes. He forgets how he had fake- seduced Zelena (thank the Gods she realized it was a trick and stopped it before he had to…) and forgets how Baelfire died and forgets how Zelena isn't dead and forgets revenge and forgets everything but Belle.

His heart is fluttering like a bloody hummingbird's and he can taste Belle's tears on her lips. He deepens the kiss and she responds with enough eagerness that Regina covers Henry's eyes after a moment (he slaps her away with an irritated "MOM, I'M _THIRTEEN_!") And Jefferson covers Grace's. She reacts similarly to Henry, much to Emma and Hook's amusement.

After a kiss that is longer than publicly appropriate (needless to say, neither one of the newly married couple gives a damn) Rumple pulls away from Belle (_HIS WIFE_) and everyone erupts into applause.

Regina approaches Belle and Rumple first after the wedding, surprisingly. Robin and Roland are right behind her, Roland holding a chocolate ice- cream. Emma conjured it, Rumplestiltskin assumes with a grin.

"Congratulations… Rumplestiltskin," she says kindly. "Belle."

"Thank you, Regina," Belle says in response. She smiles at the former Evil Queen.

"Truce?" he finally offers, extending a hand. The raven- haired Queen laughs and shakes it. When she releases her grip, she takes Robin's hand. Belle was right about that, Rumplestiltskin thinks.

Regina places her other hand on Belle's shoulder. "The expression 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder' certainly is not a metaphor when it comes to you two," she says to Belle, who laughs freely. The Queen has changed. Even Rumplestiltskin has to admit it. It is completely true, and Robin Hood has been a big part of it.

The music starts, courtesy of Emma's renewed magic, and Robin offers a dance to Regina, who accepts with a wide bloodred grin. Lipstick, obviously. Roland follows them, and the romantic dance turns into a threesome. Emma is watching, Rumplestiltskin sees, and she changes the tempo and melody of the music accordingly.

"I love you, Belle," Rumplestiltskin says to his angelic- looking wife. He is so fortunate that fate threw him a second chance. He barely caught it- in fact if it'd been pure light… the rhetorical shadows had nearly overwhelmed it- but his fingertips had flicked it back. And then it had become his Belle… and there is no returning to darkness. Not that he would ever want to. Belle is his soul.

She turns to him and twines her long creamy arms around his neck, on her tip- toes as she clings to him. "I love you too, Rumple."

As they kiss, he thinks that the recently redeemed Regina is in fact correct: beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and that is why Belle can see beauty and goodness in him.

**THE END**

**A/N: Keep in mind, this is my first story! Sorry if I screwed up part of the wedding vows. This is just what I could remember from their ceremony.**

**Rumple and Belle are just beautiful. I love them together… but I wanted Belle to show a ring (and I didn't like the fake dagger proposal thing) and I wanted her to wear a dress and have, you know, actual guests. That's what I interpreted when I first saw "splashy wedding". I knew that it would be Rumbelle (come on, who the hell else would qualify?!) but I didn't expect the forest thing. Yes, the vows made me very emotional, but I wanted Belle to wear an actual wedding dress.**

**Thanks so much for reading! I hope you like it. Even if you didn't, please review and tell me what you thought!**

**PS: Rumple clearly did not lie to Belle and make a fake dagger and hide the dagger. This is set during Regina and Robin's happiness (OutlawQueen is my second favourite OUAT couple) but after the whole Captain Swan kiss. So kind of not- canon based on timeline alone. Rumple will kill Zelena later. Chances are I will not end up writing that, because we all know how it happens. Do you guys want me to write another chapter in which Rumple kills Zelena? Belle would be there, witnessing, and she will not be angry with him, and he will not be lying to her/ keeping secrets from her. I will not be writing the wedding night… probably.**

**REVIEW, PLEASE! **


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